The British Medical Association recently urged the government to raise taxes to help tackle the increasing levels of alcohol abuse.

Alcohol consumption has been rising steadily for the past 15 years, with figures suggesting a third of men and a fifth of women drink more than the recommended levels each week.

And alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled since 1991 to over 8,700 a year.

The BMA said a 10% rise in price could cut deaths by up to 30%.

And evidence from Finland has suggested this may be so. A cut in excise duty in 2004 by 33% - introduced in order to deal with the issue of cheap imports from abroad - led to a 17% rise in alcohol-related mortality.

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, of the Faculty of Public Health, said: "It's a good start, but still short of what's needed to make a real dent in binge drinking.

"Current prices are so low that young people can binge for less than the cost of a burger and chips.

"The Chancellor's tax hike will help to deter some of them some of the time, but needs to go much further to make a real difference."

Don Shenker, of Alcohol Concern, said the rises helped address the issue of alcohol becoming more affordable.

But he added: "For tax hikes to work the government has to force big retailers to stop discounting so deeply."

British Liver Trust chief executive Alison Rogers suggested supermarkets be banned from selling alcohol at under 40p or 50p a unit.

"It is time to take it a step further and legislate for a minimum price per unit."

But Jeremy Beadles, of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said the tax hike was "hitting all drinkers for the sins of a minority".

Meanwhile, duty on tobacco is set to rise again, adding 11p to the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes and 4p to five cigars.

Cancer Research UK's Harpal Kumar said: "We are very disappointed that the government is not significantly increasing tobacco tax above inflation."